Former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue was left looking for explanations for his wife after a highly-publicized match he was to play in Kenya was cancelled at the last minute. Eboue was to be among Arsenal legends who were to face off with a select Harambee Stars legends team at Nyayo Stadium on Friday night. The game had been hyped up and was attracting international attention. However, on Friday morning, it was announced that the game would not take place amid reports that the Arsenal legends who were to attend were not even aware while others claimed there was a contractual dispute.
Some of the former Arsenal stars who were to feature, as announced, were Nwankwo Kanu, who was to be captain of the side, Theo Walcott, Eboue and Bacary Sagna with victor Wanyama captaining the Harambee Stars legends team that also was to include McDonald Mariga, Dennis Oliech, James Situma and Mahmoud Abbas among others. Eboue played for Arsenal from 2004 to 2011 under legendary coach Arsene Wenger, managing 214 appearances, scoring 10 goals and providing 20 assists. The former right-back, who retired in 2016, married his childhood sweetheart Stephanie Boede, following a widely publicized divorce from his ex-wife Aurelie Bertrand.
Eboue was left distraught after learning of the event’s cancellation just hours upon arriving in Kenya on Friday. “I feel very sorry for the fans because we played for Arsenal and the fans were so excited to come,” Eboue said. He added that he was tired and had been thinking they would play the game that night. Eboue then went on about how the decision to cancel the match will also have an impact on him personally. “It is my first time in Kenya,” he added.
Eboue expressed his concerns about explaining the cancellation to his wife. “I told my wife I will be with the Kenyan people and Arsenal fans so I don’t know what I will tell my wife because she was thinking we will have the game tonight but now it is cancelled.” The cancellation of the match has left Eboue and the other players feeling disappointed and frustrated.
A statement from AFTV was released regarding the cancellation of the event. The statement was made by Robbie, Cecil and Emmanuel. The cancellation of the match has raised questions about the organization and planning of the event.
The Kenya legends match was supposed to be a high-profile event that would bring together former Arsenal players and Harambee Stars legends. The event was expected to attract a large crowd and generate significant interest in Kenyan football. However, the cancellation of the match has left many fans feeling disappointed and frustrated.
Eboue's experience with the cancellation of the match has left him with a sour taste. He had been looking forward to playing in the match and interacting with the Kenyan fans. The cancellation of the event has also raised questions about the future of similar events in Kenya.
Key points
- The match between Arsenal legends and Harambee Stars legends was cancelled due to reported contractual disputes.
- Emmanuel Eboue was devastated by the cancellation and worried about explaining it to his wife.
- The event's cancellation has raised questions about organization and planning.
